1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a panel structure of a surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2000-363049, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel as an oversized and slim display for color screen has received attention, and is becoming widely available.
FIG. 7 is a front view schematically illustrating the cell structure of the surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel which has been previously proposed by the present applicant. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the Vxe2x80x94V line of FIG. 7.
The PDP illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 includes a front glass substrate 1, serving as the display surface, having the back surface on which a plurality of row electrode pairs (X, Y) are arranged in parallel and extend in the row direction of the front glass substrate 1 (the lateral direction of FIG. 7). Each of the pairs of row electrodes X and Y forms one display line (row) L of the matrix display.
The row electrode X is constructed of transparent electrodes Xa each of which is formed of a T-shaped transparent conductive film made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or the like, and a bus electrode Xb formed of a metal film which extends in the row direction of the front glass substrate 1 and is connected to a narrow proximal end of each of the transparent electrodes Xa.
Likewise, the row electrode Y is constructed of transparent electrodes Ya each of which is formed of a T-shaped transparent conductive film made of ITO or the like, and a bus electrode Yb formed of a metal film which extends in the row direction of the front glass substrate 1 and is connected to a narrow proximal end of each of the transparent electrodes Ya.
The row electrodes X and Y are arranged in alternate positions in each display line L in the manner xe2x80x9cX-Yxe2x80x9d in one display line, xe2x80x9cY-Xxe2x80x9d in the next display line.
In each of the row electrode pairs (X, Y), each of the transparent electrodes Xa and Ya aligned along the corresponding bus electrodes Xb and Yb extends toward its counterpart in the paired row electrodes such that wide top ends of the paired transparent electrodes Xa, Ya face each other with a discharge gap g of a required width in between.
Each of the bus electrodes Xb and Yb has a double-layer structure with a black conductive layer on the display surface side.
On the back surface of the front glass substrate 1, a black light absorption layer BS extends in the row direction between the back-to-back bus electrodes Xb of the respective row electrode pairs (X, Y) adjacent to each other and between the back-to-back bus electrodes Yb.
A dielectric layer 2 is also formed on the back surface of the front glass substrate 1 and covers the row electrode pairs (X, Y). Furthermore, an additional dielectric layer 2A extends in the row direction and protrudes from the back face of the dielectric layer 2 at a position on the back face of the dielectric layer 2 opposite to the back-to-back bus electrodes Xb (back-to-back bus electrodes Yb) in adjoining pairs and opposite to a region between the back-to-back bus electrodes Xb (back-to-back bus electrodes Yb).
In turn, a protective layer 3 made of MgO is formed on the back faces of the dielectric layer 2 and additional dielectric layers 2A.
The front glass substrate 1 is disposed in parallel to a back glass substrate 4 having a surface facing toward the display surface on which column electrodes D are arranged parallel to each other at predetermined intervals and each extend in a direction at right angles to the row electrode pair (X, Y) (the column direction) in a position opposite to the paired transparent electrodes Xa and Ya in each of the row electrode pairs (X, Y).
On the surface of the back glass substrate 4 on the display surface side, a white dielectric layer 5 covers the column electrodes D, and partition walls 6 are formed on the dielectric layer 5.
The partition wall 6 is shaped in a ladder pattern with vertical walls 6A each of which extends in the column direction in a position between the two parallel arranged column electrodes D, and transverse walls 6B each of which extends in the row direction in a position opposite to the additional dielectric layer 2A. The ladder-patterned partition wall 6 is provided for partitioning the discharge space S situated between the front glass substrate 1 and the back glass substrate 4 into areas, each facing the paired transparent electrodes Xa and Ya in each row electrode pair (X, Y), to form quadrangular discharge cells C.
The partition walls 6 partitioning the discharge space S are arranged in the column direction separated from each other by an interstice SL which extends in the row direction between the two partition walls 6, that is, the interstice SL intervening between the mutually opposite transverse walls 6B of the respective partition walls 6 adjacent to each other. The interstice SL is situated at a position opposing each region between the back-to-back bus electrodes Xb and between the back-to-back bus electrodes Yb.
A phosphor layer 7 is placed on all the five faces made up of the four side faces of the vertical walls 6A and transverse walls 6B of the partition wall 6 and one face of a dielectric layer 5 which face toward the discharge cell C. The phosphor layer 7 formed inside each discharge cell C has a red color (R), a green color (G) or a blue color (B) applied and the phosphor layers 7 are arranged in the order red (R), green (G) and blue (B) along the row direction.
The discharge cell C is filled with a discharge gas.
The protective layer 3 covering the additional dielectric layer 2A is in contact with the face of the transverse walls 6B of the partition walls 6 on the display surface side. Hence, as seen from FIG. 8, the additional dielectric layer 2A provides a block between the adjacent discharge cells C in the column direction.
The PDP as described above displays images through the following procedure.
First, at the concurrent reset period, a reset pulse is applied to the row electrodes X or Y, to cause reset discharge between the column electrode D and the row electrode X or Y in each discharge cell C, which results in forming wall charge on the surface of the dielectric layer 2 in each discharge cell C.
Next, through the line sequential addressing operation in the addressing period, a scan pulse is applied to the row electrode Y to selectively cause opposite discharge (selective discharge) between the transparent electrode Ya and the column electrode D, which results in scattering lighted cells (the discharge cell in which the wall charge on the dielectric layer 2 is not erased) and nonlighted cells (the discharge cell in which the wall charge on the dielectric layer 2 is erased), in all the discharge lines L over the panel in accordance with the image to be displayed.
Then, at the sustain discharge period, a discharge sustain pulse is simultaneously applied alternately to the row electrodes X and Y in all the display lines, to cause surface discharge (sustain discharge) between the transparent electrodes Xa and Ya facing each other in each lighted cell.
The surface discharge in the lighted cell thus generates ultraviolet light. The generated ultraviolet light excites each of the phosphor layers 7 which have the three primary colors, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) applied in the respective discharge cells C, to allow them to emit light for forming a display image.
A feature of the above PDP is that interference may not occur between the discharges in the discharge cells C adjacent to each other in the row direction even when each discharge cell C is reduced in size in order for the screen to increase in definition, because the transparent electrode Xa, Ya of the row electrode X, Y extends from the bus electrode Xb, Yb toward the other row electrode X or Y with which to form a pair so that there are island forms independent of each other in each discharge cell C.
Another feature of the above PDP is the prevention of the occurrence of interference between discharges in the discharge cells C adjacent to each other in the column direction, because the adjacent discharge cells C in the column direction are blocked off from each other as a result of forming the additional dielectric layer 2A on the dielectric layer 2 and allowing the protective layer 3 covering the additional dielectric layer 2A to be in contact with the face of the transverse wall 6B of the partition wall 6 on the display surface side.
However, in the PDP structure as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bus electrodes Xb, Yb of the respective row electrodes X, Y are situated in the non-display area on the panel which completely overlays the transverse walls 6B of the partition walls 6 formed of dielectric materials.
Thus, interelectrode capacitance is formed between the bus electrodes Xb or Yb and the column electrode D with the transverse walls 6B interposed, and charge and discharge are produced in relation to the interelectrode capacitance, leading to the disadvantage of a larger amount of reactive power which does not contribute to light emission.
The present invention has been made to solve the disadvantages associated with the surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel as described above.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a plasma display panel capable of a smaller amount of reactive power which does not contribute to light emission.
To attain the above object, a plasma display panel according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a front substrate; a back substrate facing the front substrate with a discharge space interposed; a plurality of pairs of first and second row electrodes extending in a row direction and arranged in a column direction on the back surface of the front substrate to form display lines; a plurality of column electrodes extending in the column direction and arranged in the row direction on the surface of the back substrate facing toward the front substrate, to form a unit light-emitting area in the discharge space in each intersection with the paired first and second row electrodes; and a partition wall, made of dielectric materials, interposed between the front substrate and the back substrate and defining the individual unit light-emitting areas. A feature of the plasma display panel is that at least either of the paired first and second row electrodes is placed at a position shifted relatively in the column direction toward decreasing the overlapping of the row electrode and the partition wall in reference to the partition wall.
With the plasma display panel of the first aspect, at least either of the first and second row electrodes forming the display line has a portion situated in a no-light-emitting area on the panel. The portion is located at a misaligned position when viewed from the front substrate in reference to the partition wall which is also situated in the no-light-emitting area and defines the individual unit light-emitting areas, which results in a decrease in the area of overlapping of the row electrode and the partition wall.
According to the first aspect, therefore, there is a reduction in interelectrode capacitance formed between the portion of the first or second row electrode situated in the no-light emitting area of the panel and the column electrode with the dielectric-material-made partition wall interposed. The occurrence of charge and discharge in relation to the interelectrode capacitance is thus decreased. This allows a reduction in the amount of reactive power non-contributable to light emission which is associated with the charge and discharge.
To attain the aforementioned object, the feature of a plasma display panel according to a second aspect of the present invention is, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, that the partition wall includes a plurality of wall parts placed between the front substrate and the back substrate and respectively having vertical walls extending in the column direction and transverse walls extending in row direction to partition the discharge space into the unit light emitting areas in the row direction and column direction; that an interstice extending in parallel to the row direction is formed at a position between the transverse walls of the wall part adjacent to each other in the column direction; and that at least either of the first and second row electrodes has portion extending parallel to the transverse wall of the wall part and being located at a position shifted toward opposing the interstice, situated between the transverse walls, in reference to the transverse wall.
With the plasma display panel of the second aspect, the partition wall partitioning the discharge space between the front substrate and the back substrate into the unit light-emitting areas includes the vertical walls extending in the column direction and the transverse walls extending in the row direction. The transverse walls are separated in the column direction by the interstices parallel to the row direction. At least either of the first and second row electrodes has portion extending in the row direction in the no-light-emitting area on the panel and being located at a position shifted toward opposing the interstice between the transverse walls. This allows a decrease in the area of overlapping of the portion of the row electrode extending in the row direction and the transverse wall when viewed from the front substrate.
According to the second aspect, therefore, there is a reduction in interelectrode capacitance formed between the portion of the first or second row electrode, which is situated in the no-light-emitting area of the panel and extends in the row direction, and the column electrode with the dielectric-material-made partition wall interposed. The occurrence of charge and discharge in relation to the interelectrode capacitance is thus decreased. This allows a reduction in the amount of reactive power non-contributable to light emission which is associated with the charge and discharge.
To attain the aforementioned object, a plasma display panel according to a third aspect of the present invention has the feature, in addition to the configuration of the second aspect, that each of the first and second row electrodes includes an electrode body extending in the row direction, and protruding electrodes each extending from the electrode body toward its counterpart in the paired first and second row electrodes in each unit light emitting area to face the counterpart with a required discharge gap interposed; and the electrode body of at least either of the first and second row electrodes is located at a position shifted toward the interstice situated between the transverse walls in reference to the transverse wall of the wall part.
With the plasma display panel of the third aspect, each of the first and second row electrodes has the protruding electrodes each of which is connected to the electrode body, extending in the row direction, in each unit light-emitting area, to form a so-called island-form discharge portion. The electrode body of the at least either of the first and second electrodes is placed so as to be shifted from the position, opposing the transverse wall of the partition wall extending parallel to the electrode body, toward the interstice between the transverse walls. This configuration decreases area of the overlapping between the electrode body of the row electrode and the transverse wall when viewed from the front substrate.
According to the third aspect, therefore, there is a reduction in interelectrode capacitance formed between the electrode body of the first or second row electrode situated in the no-light-emitting area of the panel and the column electrode with the dielectric-material-made partition wall interposed. The occurrence of charge and discharge in relation to the interelectrode capacitance is thus decreased. This allows a reduction in the amount of reactive power non-contributable to light emission which is associated with the charge and discharge.
To attain the aforementioned object, a plasma display panel according to a fourth aspect of the present invention has the features, in addition to the configuration of the second aspect, that each of the first and second row electrodes includes an electrode body extending in the row direction and protruding electrodes each extending from the electrode body toward its counterpart in the paired first and second row electrodes in each unit light emitting area to face the counterpart with a required discharge gap interposed, and that the first and second row electrodes are arranged in alternate positions in each display line, and at least either of the two first row electrodes and the two second row electrodes which are the same-type row electrodes oriented back to back between two adjacent display lines, have the single electrode body in common, and that the shared electrode body is located at a position opposing the interstice between the transverse walls of the wall part.
With the plasma display panel of the fourth aspect, each of the first and second row electrodes has the protruding electrodes each of which is connected to the electrode body, extending in the row direction, in each unit light emitting area, to form a so-called island-form discharge portion. Further, the first and second row electrodes are alternated in position in each display line in the manner xe2x80x9cthe first row electrode-the second row electrodexe2x80x9d in one display line, xe2x80x9cthe second row electrode-the first row electrodexe2x80x9d in the next display line.
Such an arrangement of the first row electrodes and the second row electrodes allows at least one type of the two adjacent row electrodes coming from two different types of the row electrodes adjacent to each other between adjacent display lines, e.g., two adjacent first row electrodes or two adjacent second row electrodes, to share the use of a single electrode body extending in the row direction. The shared electrode body is placed at a position opposing the interstice between the transverse walls of the wall part of the partition wall. Thus, it is possible to decrease the area of overlapping of the shared electrode body and the transverse walls when view from the front substrate.
According to the fourth aspect, therefore, there is a reduction in interelectrode capacitance formed between the shared electrode body of the first or second row electrodes, situated in the no-light-emitting area of the panel and extending in the row direction, and the column electrode with the dielectric-material-made partition wall interposed. The occurrence of charge and discharge in relation to the interelectrode capacitance is thus decreased. This allows a reduction in the amount of reactive power non-contributable to light emission which is associated with the charge and discharge.
To attain the aforementioned object, a plasma display panel according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has the feature, in addition to the configuration of the fourth aspect, that the shared electrode body has a width equal to or smaller than a width of the interstice between the transverse walls of the partition wall in the column direction.
With the plasma display panel of the fifth aspect, the shared electrode body of the same-type row electrodes adjacent to each other between the adjacent display lines is placed in a position opposing the interstice between the transverse walls of the wall part of the partition wall. Further, the shared electrode body is formed so as to have a width in the column direction equal to or smaller than that of the interstice between the transverse walls in the column direction. This configuration eliminates the overlapping of the shared electrode body and the transverse walls.
According to the fifth aspect, therefore, interelectrode capacitance is not formed between the shared electrode body of the first or second row electrodes and the column electrode with the dielectric-material-made partition wall interposed, and thus charge and discharge in relation to the interelectrode capacitance are not produced. This allows a reduction in the amount of reactive power non-contributable to light emission which occurs if the charge and discharge are produced.